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Ski/Sail National Championship Combines Tahoe Spring Passions
Contact:
Jake Fish
US SAILING Communications Manager
jakefish@ussailing.org
PORTSMOUTH, R.I. (January 24, 2011) - Every sailor must ski and every skier must sail, and every sailor must party. This is the motto for the Ski/Sail National Championship, hosted by the Tahoe Yacht Club and Squaw Valley USA, since the inception of this one of a kind event in 1995.
Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America. The Tahoe area is identified for its extreme weather patterns. However, the climate is ideal for both summer and winter activities. Spring through fall months are sunny, warm and dry. The winter months see a tremendous amount of snowfall. The mountain tops preserve the snow long after the weather at lake level has become warm and sunny again. This distinctive arrangement of rare weather and mixed landscapes has fostered an environment ideal for blending outdoor activities.
Event organizer Stacy Conner explained, “Our seasons are pretty extreme here in Lake Tahoe, therefore many people must split their passions between several seasonal sports. Fortunately, we have an obvious abundance of skiers in the area and given that our sailing season is so short, we have an impressive Laser fleet as well.”
Despite a short sailing season, the participation rates are high from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The Tahoe Yacht Club races every Monday night and they average nearly 20 boats for 14 weeks.
Ralph Silverman, a San Diego native, is a life-long sailor. When Ralph moved to Tahoe in 1986, he gained a new passion for skiing and decided to combine these two sports years later, in an event which has become a Tahoe tradition.
The format of the event consists of sailing on Saturday on Lake Tahoe and skiing on Sunday at Squaw Valley USA. The goal is to finish at least five sailing races on Saturday, so they can include a throw-out. On Sunday, each sailor skis four runs, also with one throw-out. Overall scoring is based on combined results. Five years ago they started sailing a Vanguard 15 fleet as part of the event. The Laser and Vanguard 15 fleets are scored separately.
“If it’s not snowing while we sail and bluebird skies when we ski then it’s just not a p
roper ski/sail event,” Conner said. “Dry suits, ski goggles and wool caps are the norm for Saturday’s sailing.”“Scattered throughout the event are parties that have their own stories to tell,” said Conner. “This past year was one of our most successful events and I really look forward to building on that momentum.” Last year’s event featured 27 competitors.
The Lake Tahoe Yacht Club, established in 1925, has over 300 members. The club’s signature event is the Trans-Tahoe Regatta, in which top offshore sailors from all over the west coast circumnavigate the lake. Most recently, the club hosted the second of three stops on the 2010 California Cup, sailed in Melges 24s. In 2011, the Tahoe Yacht Club will be the third of four stops for the Cup.
The 16th annual Ski/Sail National Championship takes place on April 15-17, 2011. For more information, please visit the event website at http://www.skisail.com/ or contact the Tahoe Yacht Club at (530) 581-4700.
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The United States Sailing Association (US SAILING), the national governing body for sailing, provides leadership, integrity, and growth for the sport in the United States. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, US SAILING is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization. US SAILING offers training and education programs for instructors and race officials, supports a wide range of sailing organizations and communities, issues offshore rating certificates, and provides administration and oversight of competitive sailing across the country, including National Championships and the US Sailing Team AlphaGraphics. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org.
The United States Sailing Association (US SAILING), the national governing body for sailing, provides leadership, integrity, and growth for the sport in the United States. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, US SAILING is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization. US SAILING offers training and education programs for instructors and race officials, supports a wide range of sailing organizations and communities, issues offshore rating certificates, and provides administration and oversight of competitive sailing across the country, including National Championships and the US Sailing Team AlphaGraphics. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org.